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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1779
A letter, of 24 November, from General Washington, was read.1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, VIII, folio 122.]
A petition of Dudley Saltonstall, late commander of the continental frigate, the Warren, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Marine Committee.
A letter, of 16, and one, of 17 November, from Baron Steuben; and a letter, of 30 of the same month, from Captain Galvan, were read, accompanied with sundry certificates in favour of Captain Galvan:2
[Note 2: 2 Galvan's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, X, folio 183.]
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Ordered, That the same be referred to the Board of War.
A report from the Board of Treasury, was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That on the application of Mr. [Cyrus] Griffin, one of the delegates for the State of Virginia, a warrant issue on the treasurer, in his favour, for ten thousand dollars, to enable him to purchase some necessary articles for the use of the Virginia troops in the continental army, to be repaid by a warrant in favour of the quarter master general on the treasurer of the said State, which is to be charged with the above sum until it is reimbursed.
That a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Mr. J[ohn] Fell, one of the delegates for the State of New Jersey, on his application, for two thousand three hundred dollars; for which the said State is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated December 1, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 853.]
The committee, to whom was referred the memorial of the general officers &c. brought in a report.
The Committee appointed to take into consideration what allowance ought to be made to officers in the different Departments of the army, to whom the provision made by the Resolutions of Congress of the 18th August last doth not extend, and to whom was also referred the Memorial of the general officers, beg leave to report:
Whereas some of the Legislatures of the United States, have already passed laws to extend the half pay which Congress "resolved should be given to the officers in the army of the United States for and during the term of seven years next after the conclusion of the present war," for and during life to such officers as belong to the Battalions raised in such States respectively; and whereas Congress hath recommended to all the States and some have already entered into measures for making good the deficiency in pay occasioned by the depreciation of the bills of credit; and whereas the principle of equal distributive justice clearly point out, that such officers of the army who in point of such provision do not belong to any State should be provided for by the United States in general in the same manner. It is therefore,
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Resolved, That all the General officers and officers of the military and civil staff of the army, now bearing commissions from Congress, or who may here after engage to serve in the Army of the United States under such commissions, and who are not by any former resolutions of Congress recommended to the attention of the States in general or any of them in particular, shall have their pay as the same hath heretofore been established made good by a liquidation of the different rates of depreciation from the time of such establishments, and that all monies which such officers may have received as pay, shall be charged to them, and the true value thereof liquidated in manner aforesaid.
That all such officers as aforesaid (general officers excepted) for whom no provision has been made in point of subsistence in lieu of rations withheld shall be allowed at the rate of one hundred dollars per month for every ration so withheld since the 18th day of August last, and a like sum for every ration that shall so be withhold in future.
That all such officers as aforesaid, General officers included, who shall continue to serve during the present war, shall from the conclusion thereof be entitled to and receive half pay for life, to be computed on the pay established for such officers next before the 1st day of January, 1777; and that the half pay of such officers who hold or may hold offices established since the said 1st day of January, 1777, shall be computed on the full pay reduced to real value, according to the rate of depreciation, when the office was established and the pay appointed. Provided always, that if less than a majority of the Legislatures of the several United States should only provide half pay for life, that then the provision hereby extended for life shall cease and determine at the end of seven years next after the conclusion of the present war.
And whereas Congress wish to afford a durable testimony of public gratitude to those virtuous Citizens, who braving the danger and distress incident on the military life, generously flew to the banners of freedom to support the just fights and liberties of their Country threatened with destruction by an unfeeling and unrelenting Tyrant, it is resolved:
That provision shall be made to give unto the present, or any future Commander in Chief of the Army of the United States, who shall serve as such before the conclusion of the present war, the quantity of ten thousand acres of land.
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To every Major General so serving as aforesaid three thousand acres.
To every Brigadier general so serving as aforesaid 2000 acres, and to every other officer, noncommissioned officer and soldier, in the military and civil Departments of the Army, the quantity of 100 acres for every five dollars of monthly pay reduced to real value at the rate of depreciation when their appointments and pay were respectively established. Provided always that officers holding more than one commission shall only be allowed susbistenee money, half pay and land on the Commission they hold in the military line of the army.
That all officers serving in the civil Departments of the army, and who now receive commissions on the money by them paid out, in lieu of pay, and who shall continue to serve during the war, shall be entitled to all the immunities, granted by the foregoing resolutions to officers bearing commissions under Congress, and on the like limitations and restrictions.
That if any of the officers and soldiers to whom lands are to be granted by these resolutions shall die before the conclusion of the war, their heirs or legal representatives respectively shall be entitled to the lands designed for them.
That the heirs or legal representatives of all such officers, as were in the army of the United States on the first of January, 1777, and who have since died whilst in the service, shall be entitled to the lands such officers would have respectively been entitled to if they had lived to the conclusion of the present war.
That the widows of all such officers aforesaid, and all officers of the Line, who have died or may die in the service of the United States, before the conclusion of the war, shall be entitled to the half pay such officers would have been entitled to had they lived to the end of the war.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Philip Schuyler, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 21, folio 217.]
Congress took into consideration the report of the committee on the letter, of 4 November, from J. Beatty, commissary general of prisoners, wherein the committee recommend,
That until the further order of Congress, such citizens of the United States as may be in captivity with the
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enemy, although not taken in arms, shall be supplied by the commissary general of prisoners in the same manner as captive officers and soldiers of the continental army.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of John Fell, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 28, folio 60.]
The question to agree to the said report,
Passed in the negative.
A motion being made by Mr. [William] Sharpe, seconded by Mr. [Cyrus] Griffin, grounded on a letter of 22 October, from Major General Lincoln:
Ordered, That the motion and letter be referred to the Board of War.
The commissioners report,
That they have examined the account of Michael Smyser, referred to them by the Board of Treasury, and find, That there is due to him for the officers and privates of his company of the Pensylvania flying camp, from 22d October, to 16 November, 1776, the sum of four hundred and fifty nine dollars and 52/90, and for sundry arms belonging to the privates of his company lost or taken at Fort Washington, three hundred and forty seven dollars and 30/90, amounting in the whole to 806 82/90 dollars to be paid by his order to Michael Immle.
That they have examined the account of William Kinnan, copper plate printer, for his pay and board, from 29 July, to 25 November, and find a ballance of one hundred dollars due to him.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, dated November 25, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 837.]
Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.
Congress took into consideration the report of the committee on the post office; Whereupon,
Resolved, That the accounts of the post master general be referred to the Board of Treasury, to be by them adjusted and liquidated;
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That the salary of the post master general be increased to three thousand five hundred dollars per annum, to commence the first day of September last:
That the comptroller's salary be encreased to two thousand five hundred dollars per annum, to commence on the said 1st day of September.
Ordered, That the remainder of the report be re-committed.
George Bryan, Esq. was put in nomination by Mr. [Roger] Sherman, as a commissioner of the Board of Admiralty, and by unanimous consent,
Congress proceeded to the election, and the ballots being counted no choice was made.
On motion of the committee for superintending the printing the journals,
Resolved, That a warrant issue in favour of Francis Hopkinson, for two hundred and sixty six dollars and two thirds of a dollar, as a ballance in full of his account against the committee who superintend the printing of the journals.
A motion was made by Mr. [William] Ellery, seconded by Mr. Sherman [Philip]Schuyler relative to Congress's removal from the city of Philadelphia:
Ordered, That the consideration thereof be postponed till to morrow.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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